The Return of Ice Devimon DigiModified Version
by djb21212-Steeldramon21
Summary: Rika is kidnapped by Ice Devimon and it's up to Takato and Henry to save her. Will they succeed or will she meet a frosty fate? Contains Rukato. Reposted 3122002.


Digimon Tamers  
  
The Return of Ice Devimon (Digi-Modified Version)  
  
Written by: Steeldramon21  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.  
  
Plot: This is a modified version of my story. In this story, which is following the episode "Out of the Blue", Takato is confused about the way he feels about Rika. Then the Tamers encounter a Digimon that they thought was defeated. He kidnaps Rika and Renamon and it's up to Takato and the others to save her. Yes, it's a Rukato. Also includes an introduction for Gallantmon. Enjoy!  
  
Note: This is an alternate reality set shortly after "The Icemon Cometh". Rika still hasn't fully recovered from her experience with Ice Devimon. I tried my best to keep her and the others in character as much as possible.  
  
Characters:  
  
Takato and Guilmon  
Rika and Renamon  
Henry and Terriermon  
  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Takato Matsuki sat awake in his bedroom and stared at his digivice, musing over the events of the last few days. The group had come face to face with their toughest enemy to date. Ice Devimon was an opponent that was truly demented, being totally obsessed with power. He had wanted the one person that could make him stronger than he's ever been. He had wanted Rika Nonaka.  
  
Suddenly, Takato's thoughts turned sad as he thought about the red-haired girl with the icy attitude. Rika was a girl unlike anyone he had met before. She often hid her heart under a fierce and somewhat intimidating nature. Despite this, it was mostly Renamon, her partner Digimon, who could reach her. However, it was that one incident that nearly destroyed her self- confidence as a Tamer. Ice Devimon had tried to force her to be his Tamer, trying to draw on the coldness in her to make himself stronger. Rika saw a refection of her own bitterness in his cold heart and tried to get away. It took Renamon and Guilmon to destroy him but she was forever changed, transformed into a near recluse.  
  
Takato sighed to himself as he continued to think about Rika. He started to get worried about her when he remembered the look in her violet eyes after that day. They reflected her darkest fear, to lose her self-control and become obsessed only with power. She was afraid of becoming like Ice Devimon, a powerfully cold and unfeeling monster. He tried to visit her home, hoping to at least talk to her and get an explanation. Her grandmother gave him excuse after excuse as to why Rika wouldn't see him.  
  
"I hope Rika is doing okay tonight." Takato said to himself. "I'm starting to get worried about her. Ever since we faced Ice Devimon, she hasn't been the same since." With that said, he placed his digivice on his desk and went to sleep.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Rika Nonaka was also awake at home, thinking about everything that's happened. Ever since Ice Devimon kidnapped her, she had turned into someone that she would normally hate. The fear inside of her, the fear that she would become like the chillingly cold Digimon, had forced her into seclusion. She would speak to no one except for her grandmother and Renamon, refusing to admit her weakness to anyone. Fear was the ultimate impurity in her eyes; especially fear of her own darkness. She was obsessed with her own standards of perfection, with being the strongest of all. She would not let something as foolish as fear destroy that image.  
  
She picked up her blue digivice and stared at the glowing screen, sighing as she looked at its display. Normally, she and Renamon would patrol the city, looking for any Digimon to battle. It was her way of enhancing her already stretched image of self-perfection, the strong decimating the weak. Now, despite Renamon's return and recent digivolution to Taomon, she forced herself to remain in deep seclusion. She was a Tamer with many questions and very few answers. Rika slowly turned over the device in her hands, studying its design and form as it softly beeped. Then, in an act of frustration, she threw it across the room. It landed against a wall and promptly shut off.  
  
"I can't be weak." Rika said to herself. "Weakness goes against who I am. Ever since that battle with Ice Devimon a few weeks ago, I still don't understand it." She then went to her window and stared at the stars in the sky. "Renamon risked herself to save me, and even digivolved to protect me twice. Even that... that weak little gogglehead and his brainiac friend help me. Why?"  
  
She then went back to her room and changed into her pajamas, letting her hair down once again. It seemed to shine in the softness of the moonlight. "Still, despite the way I acted to him and his little pet dinosaur, that gogglehead still tries to be my friend. It makes no sense. Why is he trying so hard? Why does he still want me as a friend?" Suddenly, Rika felt a soft and warm feeling begin to stir in her as she thought about Takato. She quickly pushed it away, ignoring the feeling as if it was a contagious disease. "Why is he making me feel this way?" Whit that, she went to her bed and closed her eyes, still confused about all that has happened.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, inside the twin towers of West Shijuku, Hypnos was doing its daily check for any bioemergings. Lately, they have been increasing in number ever since the discovery of the children and their "Digimon." Yamaki was not about to tolerate that any longer. Just then, several small beeps emerged from the equipment.  
  
"Sir, I'm detecting another wild one." Riley, his assistant/once-in-a-while girlfriend, said from one of the scanning equipment consoles above him.  
  
"Status?" Yamaki said as he flipped open his lighter to light a cigarette. He rarely ever smoked, only once in a while when he was getting nervous or when he wanted to relax under extreme pressure. Today, he was both. Still, the Hypnos director kept calm as Riley checked her instruments.  
  
"It's beginning to bioemerge." Riley said from her station. "It's going to fast for me to stop. I can barely track it as it is." Just then, one of the alarms went off on her console. "Sir, its just bioemerged. Location: West Shijuku, about four blocks from here."  
  
"Perfect." Yamaki mumbled in a frustrated tone as he lit his cigarette.  
  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The next day, Takato arrived at school on time and walked slowly to his classroom. He hadn't slept much since his mind was focused on Rika. As he walked to his classroom, suddenly he saw Henry Wong near the window. He was thinking to himself when he saw his friend.  
  
"Hey Takato." Henry said. Then he saw the tired look in his friend's eyes. "What's wrong? You look like you haven't slept in days."  
  
"I haven't." Takato said. "Henry, I'm getting worried about Rika. Normally, she'd be out there in a battle with some Digimon. But ever since that battle with Ice Devimon, she hasn't been around lately."  
  
"Maybe it scarred her worse than we thought." Henry told him after a moment's thought. "I mean, Ice Devimon was kind of stalking her."  
  
"Still, I'm worried about her, Henry." Takato told his friend. "Rika hasn't been out in a while. Whenever I try to visit her, her grandmother always tells me that she isn't home or something."  
  
"Momentai." Terriermon said from behind Henry. "Maybe she just needs time to rebuild her strength."  
  
"Well... I guess so." Takato told the rabbit-like Digimon. "I just need to be sure, that's all." Just then, both boys' D-Powers went off, signaling the detection of another Digimon. As they began to leave the schoolyard, a digital field was beginning to form around them.  
  
"Henry, I sense something." Terriermon said to his partner.  
  
"Up there!" Takato called out. The two boys looked up and saw that it was a giant dragon-like Digimon.  
  
"AeroTyrannomon, a Virus type dragon Digimon on the Ultimate level." Henry said as he looked at the thing on his analyzer. "It's 'Razor Claw' attack can slice through titanium like it was butter. If that doesn't get his enemies, he uses his 'Saber Missile' attack."  
  
The Digimon in question landed in front of them with a mean look in its red eyes. It looked like DarkTyrannomon with Imperialdramon's wings and jaw-like claws.  
  
"Well, let's get to work." Takato said as Guilmon, whose home was nearby, ran up to him and prepared to fight. He and Henry took out some Modify cards and prepared to fight.  
  
DIGIMODIFY  
  
"Digi-Modify!" Both boys shouted as they slashed their cards through their D-Powers. "Digivolution activate!"  
  
DIGIVOLUTION  
  
"Guilmon, digivolve to... Growlmon!"  
  
"Terriermon, digivolve to... Gargomon!"  
  
"Razor Claw!" AeroTyrannomon shouted as he slashed his jaw-like claws at the children's Digimon. Luckily, all of them moved out of the way in time.  
  
"Pyro Blaster!" Growlmon shouted as he breathed a beam of fire at the mutant Digimon. It had no effect.  
  
"Gargo Laser!" Gargomon shouted as he fired his guns at AeroTyrannomon. He just shrugged it off.  
  
"This isn't good." Takato said in disbelief. "Nothing's having an effect."  
  
"If only Rika was here..." Henry thought. Suddenly...  
  
"Dragon Wheel!" As the attack slammed into AeroTyrannomon, the group turned and saw none other than Kyuubimon and Rika standing there.  
  
"Digi-Modify!" Rika called out as she swiped a card through her D-Power. "Power activate!"  
  
"Foxtail Inferno!" Kyuubimon shouted as her nine tails glowed to release balls of fire. AeroTyrannomon flinched but was still standing.  
  
"C'mon, Kyuubimon!" Rika called out. "Make this short and sweet!"  
  
"Dragon Wheel!" Kyuubimon shouted as she curled into a ball of dragon- shaped blue fire and flung herself at the Digimon. AeroTyrannomon was deleted on the spot.  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
As Kyuubimon absorbed AeroTyrannomon's data and reverted to Renamon, she and Rika turned to leave. She didn't want to spend any unnecessary time around the others, as she was still somewhat anti-social from her experience with Ice Devimon. Just then, Rika sensed someone was following her. She turned around and saw the one person that she didn't want to see, Takato Matsuki.  
  
"Go away, gogglehead." Rika said with a slight tone of disgust. "I'm not in the mood."  
  
"Listen," Takato continued, "I just wanted to say thanks, that's all. You really helped us out today." Suddenly, Rika stopped and turned to face him, a cold and serious look on her face and her hands on her hips. It wasn't that she hated or was sick of Takato. It was the fact that he seldom knew when to leave certain things alone at certain times. This was one of those moments.  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"No. I...well..." Takato said, gaining a level of nervousness. Rika was one of the few people that could truly make him nervous, especially when she looked at him in a certain way. "I kinda wanted to ask you if you were okay. No one has seen you for days and..."  
  
"So you were worried about me, right?" Rika said.  
  
"As a matter of fact, we all were worried." Takato told her. "You know, we're here to help you if you want."  
  
"Well, don't bother." Rika told him. "I can take care of myself." With that, Rika and Renamon walked away, leaving a very stunned Takato. He turned around and saw Guilmon standing there.  
  
"Is Renamon's Tamer okay?" Guilmon asked his partner.  
  
"I wish I knew." Takato said as they began walking in the opposite direction. "I just have this bad feeling that something awful is going to happen." Meanwhile, Rika and Renamon were heading home as well.  
  
"Who does that gogglehead think he is, anyway?" Rika thought to herself as she walked. "Why is he so worried about me? Why does he even care? No one else does. Besides, I can take care of myself. I don't need or want his help."  
  
"You're wrong, Rika." Renamon spoke to her, making Rika stop in her tracks.  
  
"I didn't give you permission to read my thoughts, Renamon."  
  
"I apologize. But you are wrong, Rika. You just are afraid to admit it to yourself."  
  
Rika then turned to her partner, a somewhat perplexed look in her eyes. Sometimes, she felt that Renamon knew more about her than herself. It was one of the bonds that they shared. Still, there was no denying that the fox-like Digimon was right.  
  
"What makes you such an expert?" Rika said to Renamon, her voice indicating that the fox-like Digimon was right. Just then, the area began to fill with more digital fog, interrupting the already tense moment.  
  
"I sense a Digimon coming." Renamon said. "Whatever it is, it's powerful."  
  
"Rika..." A phantom-like voice said from somewhere in the fog. "...Rika..."  
  
"Who's there?" Rika said as she took out her D-Power, trying to scan the area. Finally, a figure began to emerge from the fog. Rika's eyes went wide with shock as she recognized who it was.  
  
"No... not you." Rika muttered. "Anyone but you... Ice Devimon!"  
  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Hello, Rika." Ice Devimon said to her. "I'm not surprised that you remember me. We were, after all, kindred spirits."  
  
"I'm nothing like you, you frozen freak." Rika retorted bitterly. The last thing that she wanted to be reminded of was the last time she encountered this creature.  
  
"Oh, but you are." Ice Devimon continued. "The coldness of your heart echoes my own, Rika. I can feel the emptiness inside you, even now. Which is why I would be all too ideal to be your partner."  
  
"You'll have to get through me first, Frosty!" Renamon shouted as she jumped in front of Rika to protect her. "Diamond Storm!" She shouted as she tried to summon her attack.  
  
"Frozen Claw!" Ice Devimon shouted as he smacked Renamon to the ground as if she were a fly. She crashed in front of Rika, drained of her energy.  
  
"Renamon, no!" Rika shouted as she raced over to her Digimon. Suddenly, she felt the familiar coldness of someone from behind her.  
  
"Since you wouldn't come willingly, Rika, I'll just have to convince you another way that we belong together." Ice Devimon said from behind her, his wings closing around her. Suddenly, Rika felt her body getting colder by the second, her thoughts slowing down steadily to a near stop. Her mind fought the alien coldness within her but it was overpowering, almost consuming. Just before she blacked out, she heard Ice Devimon mutter,  
  
"You're mine, Rika, now and forever."  
  
  
  
Takato was headed back to the cave that was Guilmon's home, his thoughts still resting on Rika. Despite being dismissed by her, as usual, he was still worried about her wellness. Guilmon could sense this as he looked at his Tamer.  
  
"Takatomon, what's the matter?" Guilmon asked.  
  
"I'm worried about Rika, Guilmon." Takato answered. "Something's wrong. I can feel it." Just then, Guilmon's eyes began to take on their wild look again.  
  
"I smell Digimon." Guilmon told his friend. "It's strong... and familiar." With that, he raced off in the direction they came from.  
  
"Guilmon, wait!" Takato called as he ran after him. The two of them got there just as Rika was about to be taken away. Takato's eyes went wide as he recognized the Digimon. "Ice Devimon..." Takato muttered.  
  
"Well, well, well." Ice Devimon said as he looked at the two of them with irreverence. "If it isn't the boy and his pet that defeated me last time."  
  
"What do you want with Rika?" Takato said angrily as he prepared to take out a Modify card.  
  
"I only want what belongs to me." Ice Devimon told him. "If you'll excuse me, my new Tamer and I have much to discuss." With that, he began to fade back into the fog, taking Rika and an unconscious Renamon with him.  
  
"Pyro Sphere!" Guilmon shouted as he tried to hit the frozen Digimon with his main attack. It was too late. Ice Devimon and his prisoners were gone.  
  
"No!" Takato shouted into the fog. "Rika!" He then dropped to his knees in pure shock. Not only did he feel like he failed to destroy their first real enemy, he failed to protect a friend from danger. "She's gone... I knew I shouldn't have left her alone." Just then, he heard the sound of Henry and Terriermon coming towards them.  
  
"Takato, what happened?" Henry said as he looked around and saw his friend on the ground. "Where are Rika and Renamon?"  
  
"He's got her..." Takato muttered as tears began to well in his eyes. "He's got her and it's all my fault."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"...Ice Devimon." Takato told his friend as he began to cry. "He came back and took her away. If I hadn't left Rika alone... We've got to get her back, Henry."  
  
"Look, Takato, we'll get her back, I promise." Henry reassured his friend. "First, we have to get back to my house. I have a plan."  
  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Rika slowly opened her eyes and saw herself in new surroundings. The entire place was covered in pure ice all around. Inside the stalactites on the ceiling were the bodies of various Digimon, some no younger than the Rookie stage. Inside a pillar in the center of the room was none other than Renamon, the lower part of her body encased in an ice pillar.  
  
"Renamon!" Rika shouted to her unconscious partner, the shock of seeing her partner frozen beginning to take its hold. Just then, a cold presence lurked from behind her. She looked down and saw that Ice Devimon was now in front of her, a cold and sadistic grin on his face.  
  
"So, you're awake at last." Ice Devimon said with a cruel smile. "It would make the transference much more interesting."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Rika said angrily as she struggled against her bonds. "What are you going to do to me?"  
  
"I intend to do what I've set out to do, Rika." Ice Devimon said as he approached her, getting so close that the air itself chilled around them. "I intend to sever the bond you share with you little pet. After that, you'll have no choice but to be my Tamer."  
  
"I'll never be a Tamer to someone as evil as you!" Rika shouted to him. Ice Devimon then placed his ice-cold hands on her face and turned her towards him.  
  
"Oh, but you will." Ice Devimon whispered coolly. "Whether by your own choice or mine, you will." He then touched her forehead gingerly with his hands, flooding Rika with coldness once again. With that, she knew no more...  
  
  
  
"Henry, what's taking so long?" Takato said as he paced around his friend's bedroom impatiently. "I thought you had a plan."  
  
"I do." Henry said as he took out his D-Ark. "Do you remember the episode of the Digimon TV show where Sora was kidnapped by Datamon?"  
  
"Yeah." Takato said to his friend. "Tai had to go and save her and made Greymon digivolve to MetalGreymon."  
  
"Right. I think we can do something similar with Ice Devimon, only in this case we're both going in." Henry then took out a pack of brand-new Modify cards. He then handed the deck to Takato. "Since you're the only one who can digivolve your Digimon to Ultimate right now, Takato, you're going to have to do most of the rescuing with these new cards."  
  
"Me?" Takato blurted out as he took the deck. "But... what about you, Henry?"  
  
"I'll stay in contact through the D-Ark. I've already pinpointed Rika's location and downloaded the coordinates."  
  
"Besides, it's pretty obvious how you feel about her." Terriermon chimed in. "You should want to go in alone."  
  
"What... I... uh..." Takato blurted out as his face turned totally red. "That's not the point!"  
  
"Calm down, Takato." Henry told him. "You're secret's safe with us. Now, let's go get Rika." With that, the two boys and the Digimon left to find their friend. As they left the building to find Rika, Takato thought to himself,  
  
"Hang on, Rika. Hang on just a little longer."  
  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
When Rika opened her eyes this time, she saw that her surroundings had not changed. However, to her horror, she saw that Renamon's body was almost completely encased in ice. Ice Devimon was also standing between them, holding his hands up in a stance of deep concentration. He turned and saw that Rika was now awake.  
  
"So, you're finally awake." Ice Devimon said to her, a smirk on his cold face. "I wouldn't want you to miss it when you and I finally become true partners, Rika."  
  
"For the last time, I don't want to be your Tamer!" Rika shouted to him, struggling against her restraints. "Now let me go, you frozen freak!"  
  
Ice Devimon only smirked at her, not moving from his position. "It's too late, Rika. It's not up to you any more. You are going to be my Tamer, whether you want to or not." He then returned his attention to the area around him. Just then, millions of tiny flecks of data began flowing from the stalactites on the ceiling and the floor and into Ice Devimon's body. Some of the data also began flowing from Rika's body, making her convulse in pain. She was being separated from Renamon and she knew it.  
  
"No! I won't let you do this to me!" Rika screamed.  
  
"It's too late!" Ice Devimon told her in a elated manner. "The transfer has already begun. This time, nothing will separate us!"  
  
"Think again!" a voice said from behind them. Ice Devimon turned and saw none other than Takato, Henry, and the Digimon standing there. They had digivolved to Champion before arriving, via Henry's advice.  
  
"What in the world..." Henry said to himself as he saw what Ice Devimon was doing. "He's absorbing all the data from those Digimon. If he continues, his power will completely exceed his level."  
  
"What are you doing to Rika?" Takato said angrily.  
  
"As I told you, I've merely taken back what belongs to me." Ice Devimon told them with a sadistic grin on his face. "Soon, I will be the have the power of a Mega Digimon, thanks to my new Tamer."  
  
"Takato, I'll try to get Renamon out of this ice." Henry said to his friend as he shuffled through his cards. "You get Rika out of there."  
  
"Can do, Henry." Takato said as he and Growlmon prepared to head in.  
  
"No!" Ice Devimon growled angrily as he powered up his attack. "You won't take her away! Frozen Claw!"  
  
"Pyro Blaster!" Growlmon shouted. Ice Devimon pushed past the attack and slammed into the large dinosaur, pushing him into a wall. Meanwhile, Takato headed over to where Rika was shackled to the wall and looked her over. She was incredibly weakened and looked tired, all of her energy drained by Ice Devimon.  
  
"Just hold on, Rika." Takato muttered silently as he tried to find a way to break the restraints around her. "I'll get you out of here, somehow."  
  
"...Gogglehead?" Rika said as she slowly opened her eyes, this time seeing Takato trying to help her. "How did you..."  
  
"You can thank Henry for that." Takato told her. "Now, just sit tight and I'll figure out how to free you."  
  
Suddenly, Rika's eyes widened as she looked behind him. "Look out!"  
  
"What?" Takato turned in time to see Growlmon being thrown in their direction. He crashed next to them as Ice Devimon charged towards the weakened dinosaur.  
  
"RAAAAGH!" Ice Devimon roared as he charged at Growlmon. The red dinosaur blocked him just in time, trying to prevent him from tearing him apart.  
  
"Takatomon," Growlmon said to his Tamer as he struggled with Ice Devimon, "I need your help."  
  
"Right." Takato said as he finally managed to break the restraints and set Rika gently on the ground. Normally, she would hate being treated like she was weak and helpless. Unfortunately, that's precisely what she was at the moment.  
  
DIGIMODIFY  
  
"Digi-Modify!" Takato shouted as he scanned a card. "Power activate!"  
  
"Pyro Blaster!" Growlmon shouted as he blasted Ice Devimon once more with the attack.  
  
"Avalance Claw!" Ice Devimon shouted as he flapped his wings, sending shards of ice pummeling towards Growlmon. The impact was so strong that he de-digivolved to Guilmon and collapsed.  
  
"Guilmon, no!" Takato shouted as he raced towards his Digimon, who was weakened but still alive.  
  
"Ta... kato..." Guilmon tried to say. Takato then turned and saw that Ice Devimon was still advancing towards Rika, a superior look in his eyes. Rika, on the other hand, was just paralyzed with fear.  
  
"Get away from her!" Takato shouted. Ice Devimon continued to advance on Rika. "I said back off!" Takato shouted, this time a litte louder. Suddenly, Guilmon began getting to his feet, feeling an incredible surge of energy flow through him. Takato noticed that both of them were now surrounded by a golden energy.  
  
"Guilmon, are you okay?" Takato asked his Digimon.  
  
"Mm-hmm." Guilmon nodded. "I can take him, Takatomon."  
  
"I just wish that I could fight him with you." Takato told him. "Then we'd really show that icy freak who's boss."  
  
"Maybe you just need to wish for it really hard, Takatomon, like when you needed the blue card." Guilmon advised.  
  
"All right." Takato said, hoping that Guilmon's idea was right. "I wish that I could fight with Guilmon!" Takato cried out. Just then, they were both surrounded by a column of golden energy.  
  
"No!" Ice Devimon cried, knowing what was about to happen. "This can't be happening!"  
  
MATRIX DIGIVOLUTION  
  
Takato took out his digivice and looked at the display, which was glowing with golden energy. It suddenly exploded from all around him, transforming his body into data and causing him to merge with Guilmon.  
  
"Guilmon, biomerge to..." Guilmon began flashing through his Champion and Ultimate forms until he arrived at his Mega form. A suit of armor surrounded his body as Takato merged with him. A massive lance formed on one hand and a shield formed on the other emblazoned with both Guilmon's symbol and the crest of Courage. As they finished digivolving, a giant red cape formed behind him and flapped in the wind. "...Gallantmon!"  
  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
As the light faded, Gallantmon stood where Takato and Guilmon used to be. He was a giant Mega Digimon with a nobel appearance. Ice Devimon at first was surprised, but then smirked once more.  
  
"So, there's a new Digimon in town." Ice Devimon said to no one in particular.  
  
"...That's Guilmon?" Rika thought to herself as she began getting to her feet. "It's definitely an improvement."  
  
"Ice Devimon, you have brought nothing but misery to the Digimon and Tamers." Gallantmon told him in Takato/Guilmon's voice. "Also, you have tortured the life of an innocent soul in your lust for power. I cannot forgive your actions."  
  
"You act like I should care whether you forgive me or not." Ice Devimon said coolly. "I will have my Tamer and be the most powerful Digimon alive. You're NOT going to interfere." With that, he began to charge at Gallantmon.  
  
"So be it." Gallantmon said calmly as he rushed in with his lance and sheild. Both of them collided with a shower of sparks.  
  
"Frozen Claw!" Ice Devimon shouted as he tried to slash at Gallantmon's armor with his hands. The knight blocked most of the attacks with his sheild. Meanwhile, Henry and Gargomon entered with a recently-freed Renamon. They looked and saw the two Digimon in battle and were astonished.  
  
"Is that Guilmon?" Gargomon asked his partner.  
  
"He must've digivolved all the way to Mega." Henry muttered. "It doesn't make sense, especially since he only digivolved to Ultimate a few days ago."  
  
"Rika!" Renamon said as she leapt over to her partner. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I think so." Rika replied, now standing up. "I'm just glad you're okay." She looked around and saw that Takato was nowhere in sight. "What hapened to Takato? He was here a second ago."  
  
Meanwhile, Gallantmon and Ice Devimon's battle had nearly reached a standstill. Though the frosty Digimon was only a Champion, he was holding his own because of all the data he absorbed.  
  
"I won't let you take her away!" Ice Devimon screamed as he charged up for another attack.  
  
"You never had her, Ice Devimon." Gallantmon told him, remaining calm as he powered up his lance for his own attack. "Royal Sabre!" he shouted as his lance glowed with energy, slicing through Ice Devimon's attack.  
  
"AAAAHH!" Ice Devimon cried as part of him was slashed by the lance.  
  
"This is your last chance, Ice Devimon." Gallantmon said as he prepared his lance again. "Leave here and never return, or be destroyed."  
  
"I choose... neither!" Ice Devimon then charged again at Gallantmon, desperate to win this battle and keep Rika's power.  
  
"Very well. Gallant Sheild!" Gallantmon shouted as his sheild glowed with energy. (I haven't seen his real attack yet so I made this up.) A beam of light shot from it and enveloped Ice Devimon, deleting his data instantly.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Ice Devimon screamed as his data was deleted, never to return again. Also, the area faded away, since Ice Devimon supported it. As Gallantmon de-digivolved to Takato and Guilmon, they rejoined the other Tamers.  
  
"That was incredible, Takato." Henry commented. "I'm proud of you."  
  
"Thanks, Henry." Takato replied. He then noticed that Rika was standing nonchalantly away from the rest of them with Renamon. She looked as if she was confused, trying hard to answer a question she didn't know how to ask. She looked up and saw Takato approaching her, a concerned look on his face.  
  
"Are you all right, Rika?" Takato asked.  
  
"I'm fine." Rika said, somewhat softer than usual. "...Thanks, Takato. I... I owe you my life."  
  
"Anytime, I guess." Takato replied. "I'd do the same thing for Henry or anyone else."  
  
"Maybe." Rika said as she turned to leave. "See you around, Gogglehead." With that, she and Renamon started walking away. As Takato went back to Henry and the Digimon, Rika let a small smile cross her face. She may not have shown it, but she was grateful.  
  
"Rika, why didn't you tell Takato the whole story?" Renamon asked her partner.  
  
"I can't, Renamon." Rika answered. "Not yet. I... I have to be sure that what I feel isn't just some stupid 'damsel-in-distress' feeling." She turned and looked back at Takato, who was leaving to take Guilmon back home. "Besides, I need to know if he feels the same way. Until I do, this feeling will just have to stay hidden." With that, they continued back to Rika's home. Meanwhile, Takato was heading back to Guilmon's cave with a lot on his mind. Right before he and Guilmon merged into Gallantmon, he felt a powerful surge of energy. He also felt anger at Ice Devimon and fear that Rika might be killed. No matter how much he thought about it, he came to the same answer.  
  
"Guilmon, do you think that Terriermon was right?" Takato asked. "I mean about how I feel about Rika."  
  
"That's up to you, Takatomon." Guilmon said to his partner. "If you feel this way, maybe you should tell her."  
  
"I guess so." Takato then glanced back at Rika's retreating form, a small smile emerging on his face. "Who knows? She might actually feel the same way." With that, he and Guilmon continued on their way.  
  
  
  
The End... for now. (Coming up in the epilogue, Takato and Rika come face to face with their feelings for each other. Can they confess them? Stay tuned and PLEASE REVIEW!!!) 


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